Chapter M: DCC LXI (2)

Being informed that the King was to be at Westminster Hall on the 22d of May, they resolved to repair thither, which they did with the consent of Cardinal Wolsey Lord High Chancellor. The King sat at the upper end of Westminster Hall, under a cloth of state, with the Cardinal and several of the nobility: and the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Recorder, and several of the Common-Council attended; the prisoners, who then amounted to about 400, were brought in their shirts bound together with cords, and with halters about their necks, and among these were eleven women. The Cardinal, having sharply rebuked the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty for their negligence, told the prisoners, that, for their offences against the laws of the realm, and against his Majesty’s crown and dignity, they had deserved death; upon which they all set up a piteous cry, of “Mercy, gracious Lord, mercy!” which so moved the King, that, at the earnest intreaty of the Lords, he pronounced them pardoned; upon which giving a great shout, they threw up their halters towards the top of the hall, crying God save the King! After this affair the May-games were not so commonly used as before.

By the following account the reader will see, that our hospitable ancestors were not less fond of the pleasures of the table, than of outward pomp. Mr. Stow observes, that in the year 1531, eleven gentlemen of the law being promoted to the dignity of the coif, they gave a splendid and elegant entertainment in the Bishop of Ely’s palace in Holborn, for five days successively, at which were present the King, Queen, foreign Ministers, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, the Judges, the Master of the rolls, the Masters in chancery, the Serjeants at law, the principal Merchants of London, with many Knights and Esquires, and a certain number of citizens belonging to the chief companies of the city.

This being one of the greatest entertainments recorded in history, an account of it cannot be unacceptable to the reader: but as there were three poulterers concerned in providing the poultry, and only one of their accounts which we are able to communicate, it will be very deficient; however, as this great entertainment was given but about two hundred and thirty years ago, the subjoined account will shew the vast disparity between the prices of provisions then and now, and consequently the great disproportion between the scarcity of money at that time, and its plenty at present.

Twenty-four large oxen, at 1l. 6s. 8d. each.

The carcase of a large ox from the market, 1l. 4s.

One hundred sheep, at 2s. 10d. each.

Fifty-one calves, at 4s. 8d. each.

Thirty-four hogs, at 3s. 8d. each.

Ninety-one pigs, at 6d. each.

Fourteen dozen of swans, no price set down.

Capons of Greece, ten dozen, each at 1s. 8d.

Kentish capons, nine dozen and a half, at 1s. each.

Nineteen dozen of common capons, at 6d. each.

Seven dozen and nine heathcocks, at 8d. each.

Fourteen dozen and eight common cocks, at 3d. each.

The best pullets (no number mentioned) at 2½d. each.

Common ditto, 2d. each.

Thirty-seven dozen of pigeons, at 10d. a dozen.

Three hundred and forty dozen of larks, at 5d. a dozen.

In the year 1532, a general muster of the citizens was held at Mile-End, when the names of all capable of bearing arms were taken down, from the age of sixteen to that of sixty; as were also an account of the weapons, armour, and other military accoutrements belonging to the city.

Upon this occasion the principal citizens were dressed in white, with caps and feathers of the same colour; the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Recorder, and Sheriffs, wore white armour, and coats of black velvet, embroidered with the city arms; they had velvet caps on their heads, and rode on fine horses adorned with magnificent trappings, with gold chains about their necks, and battle-axes in their hands. Each of the Aldermen and the Recorder, was attended with four halberdiers in white silk or buff coats, with gilt halberts; and the Lord Mayor, by sixteen men in white sattin jackets, with gold chains, caps and feathers, and long gilt halberts; he had also four footmen in white sattin, and two pages in crimson velvet, with gold brocade waistcoats; these pages were mounted on fine horses, adorned with rich furniture, one of them carrying the Lord Mayor’s helmet, and the other his pole-ax, both richly gilt, Most of the citizens of distinction were, on this occasion, dressed in white silk, and wore gold chains with a variety of rich jewels.

The citizens rendezvoused and were mustered early in the morning at Mile End, and before nine in the forenoon began their march, when entering Aldgate, they proceeded through the city, in admirable order, to Westminster; where they passed in review before the King and most of the nobility, who were highly delighted at their splendid appearance. From thence they marched round St. James’s Park, and down Holborn to Leadenhall, where they separated at five o’clock in the evening. So far our author.

But if we add to this splendid cavalcade, that every man wore his beard and hair, which were probably neatly curled and powdered, we must be sensible that the citizens, in this procession, had a strange mixture of gravity and foppery, and that, fond as we are of dress, we were greatly outdone in this particular by our ancestors. King Henry however loved shew, and the citizens took great pains to please him, of which the following is another remarkable instance, which, tho’ very long, we shall insert, in order to give our readers an idea of the taste of the citizens of that age, in regard to elegance and grandeur: and we chuse to select this instance, as the city appears to have been decorated with greater pomp than at any time before or since.

The King having divorced Queen Catharine, and married Anne Boleyn, or Boloine, who was descended from Godfrey Boloine, Mayor of this city, and intending her coronation, sent to order the Lord Mayor, not only to make all the preparations necessary for conducting his royal consort from Greenwich, by water, to the Tower of London; but to adorn the city after the most magnificent manner, for her passage through it to Westminster.

In obedience to the royal precept, Mr. Stow observes, that the Mayor and Common Council not only ordered the company of Haberdashers, of which the Lord Mayor was a member, to prepare a magnificent state barge; but enjoined all the city corporations to provide themselves with barges, and to adorn them in the most superb manner, and especially to have them supplied with good bands of music.

On the 29th of May, the time prefixed for this pompous procession by water, the Mayor, Aldermen and Commons assembled at St. Mary Hill; the Mayor and Aldermen in scarlet, with gold chains, and those who were knights, with the collars of SS. At one they went on board the city barge at Billingsgate, which was most magnificently decorated; and attended by fifty noble barges, belonging to the several companies of the city, with each its own corporation on board; and, for the better regulation of this procession, it was ordered, that each barge should keep twice their lengths asunder.

Thus regulated, the city barge was preceded by another mounted with ordnance, and the figures of dragons and other monsters, incessantly emitting fire and smoke, with much noise. Then the city barge, attended on the right by the Haberdashers state barge, called the Bachelors, which was covered with gold brocade, and adorned with sails of silk, with two rich standards of the King’s and Queen’s arms at her head and stern, besides a variety of flags and streamers, containing the arms of that company, and those of the Merchant Adventurers; besides which the shrouds and ratlines were hung with a number of small bells: on the left was a barge that contained a very beautiful mount, on which stood a white falcon crowned, perching upon a golden stump encircled with roses, being the Queen’s emblem; and round the mount sat several beautiful virgins, singing, and playing upon instruments. The other barges followed in regular order, till they came below Greenwich. On their return the procession began with that barge which was before the last, in which were the Mayor’s and Sheriff’s officers, and this was followed by those of the inferior companies, ascending to the Lord Mayor’s, which immediately preceded that of the Queen, who was attended by the Bachelors or state barge, with the magnificence of which her Majesty was much delighted; and being arrived at the Tower, she returned the Lord Mayor and Aldermen thanks, for the pomp with which she had been conducted thither.

Two days after, the Lord Mayor, in a gown of crimson velvet, and a rich collar of SS, attended by the Sheriffs and two domestics in red and white damask, went to receive the Queen at the Tower of London, whence the Sheriffs returned to see that every thing was in order. The streets were just before new gravelled from the Tower to Temple Bar, and railed in on each side; within the rails near Grasschurch, stood a body of Anseatic merchants, and next to them the several corporations of the city in their formalities, reaching to the Aldermens station at the upper end of Cheapside. On the opposite side were placed the city constables dressed in silk and velvet, with staffs in their hands, to prevent the breaking in of the mob, or any other disturbance. On this occasion, Gracechurch street and Cornhill were hung with crimson and scarlet cloth, and the sides of the houses of a place then called Goldsmith’s row, in Cheapside, were adorned with gold brocades, velvet and rich tapestry.

The procession began from the Tower with twelve of the French Ambassador’s domestics in blue velvet, the trappings of their horses being blue sarsnet, interspersed with white crosses; after whom marched those of the equestrian order, two and two, followed by the Judges in their robes, two and two; then came the Knights of the Bath in violet gowns, purfled with menever. Next came the Abbots, Barons, Bishops, Earls and Marquises, in their robes, two and two. Then the Lord Chancellor, followed by the Venetian Ambassador and the Archbishop of York: next the French Ambassador and the Archbishop of Canterbury, followed by two gentlemen representing the Dukes of Normandy and Aquitain; after whom rode the Lord Mayor of London with his mace, and Garter in his coat of arms; then the Duke of Suffolk, Lord High Steward, followed by the Deputy Marshal of England, and all the other officers of state in their robes, carrying the symbols of their several offices: then others of the nobility in crimson velvet, and all the Queen’s officers in scarlet, followed by her Chancellor uncovered, who immediately preceded his mistress.

The Queen was dressed in silver brocade, with a mantle of the same furred with ermine; her hair was dishevelled, and she wore a chaplet upon her head set with jewels of inestimable value. She sat in a litter covered with silver tissue, and carried by two beautiful pads cloathed in white damask, and led by her footmen. Over the litter was carried a canopy of cloth of gold, with a silver bell at each corner, supported by sixteen Knights alternately, by four at a time.

After her Majesty came her Chamberlain, followed by her Master of Horse, leading a beautiful pad, with a side-saddle and trappings of silver tissue. Next came seven ladies in crimson velvet, faced with gold brocade, mounted on beautiful horses with gold trappings. Then followed two chariots covered with cloth of gold, in the first of which were the Duchess of Norfolk and the Marchioness of Dorset, and in the second four ladies in crimson velvet; then followed seven ladies dressed in the same manner, on horseback, with magnificent trappings, followed by another chariot all in white, with six ladies in crimson velvet; this was followed by another all in red, with eight ladies in the same dress with the former: next came thirty gentlewomen, attendants to the Ladies of honour; they were on horseback, dressed in silks and velvet; and the cavalcade was closed by the horse guards.

This pompous procession being arrived in Fenchurch street, the Queen stopped at a beautiful pageant, crouded with children in mercantile habits; who congratulated her Majesty upon the joyful occasion of her happy arrival in the city.

Thence she proceeded to Grace church corner, where was erected a very magnificent pageant, at the expence of the company of Anseatic Merchants, in which was represented Mount Parnassus, with the fountain of Helicon, of white marble, out of which arose four springs about four feet high, centering at the top in a small globe, from which issued plenty of Rhenish wine till night. On the Mount sat Apollo, at his feet was Calliope, and beneath were the rest of the Muses, surrounding the Mount, and playing upon a variety of musical instruments, at whose feet were inscribed several epigrams suitable to the occasion, in letters of gold.

Her Majesty then proceeded to Leadenhall, where stood a pageant, representing a hill encompassed with red and white roses; and above it was a golden stump, upon which a white falcon, descending from above, perched, and was quickly followed by an angel, who put a crown of gold upon his head. A little lower on the hilloc sat St. Anne, surrounded by her progeny, one of whom made an oration, in which was a wish that her Majesty might prove extremely prolific.

The procession then advanced to the conduit in Cornhill; where the Graces sat enthroned, with a fountain before them incessantly discharging wine; and underneath, a Poet, who described the qualities peculiar to each of these amiable deities, and presented the Queen with their several gifts.

The cavalcade thence proceeded to a great conduit that stood opposite to Mercers Hall in Cheapside, and, upon that occasion, was painted with a variety of emblems, and during the solemnity and remaining part of the day, ran with different sorts of wine, for the entertainment of the populace.

At the end of Wood street, the standard there was finely embellished with royal portraitures and a number of flags, on which were painted coats of arms and trophies, and above was a concert of vocal and instrumental music.

At the upper end of Cheapside was the Aldermens station, where the Recorder addressed the Queen in a very elegant oration, and, in the name of the citizens, presented her with a thousand marks in a purse of gold tissue, which her Majesty very gracefully received.

At a small distance, by Cheapside conduit, was a pageant, in which were seated Minerva, Juno, and Venus; before whom stood the god Mercury, who, in their names, presented the Queen a golden apple.

At St. Paul’s gate was a fine pageant, in which sat three ladies richly dressed, with each a chaplet on her head, and a tablet in her hand, containing Latin inscriptions.

At the east end of St. Paul’s cathedral, the Queen was entertained by some of the scholars belonging to St. Paul’s school, with verses in praise of the King and her Majesty, with which she seemed highly delighted.

Thence proceeding to Ludgate, which was finely decorated, her Majesty was entertained with several songs adapted to the occasion, sung in concert by men and boys upon the leads over the gate.

At the end of Shoe lane, in Fleet street, a handsome tower with four turrets was erected upon the conduit, in each of which stood one of the cardinal Virtues, with their several symbols; who, addressing themselves to the Queen, promised they would never leave her, but be always her constant attendants. Within the tower was an excellent concert of music, and the conduit all the while ran with various sorts of wine.

At Temple Bar she was again entertained with songs, sung in concert by a choir of men and boys; and having from thence proceeded to Westminster, she returned the Lord Mayor thanks for his good offices, and those of the citizens that day. _Stow’s Annals._

The day after, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffs, performed their several offices at the coronation; and, in return for the great expence the city had been at upon the above occasion, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and forty of the principal citizens, had the honour of being afterwards invited to the christening of the Princess Elizabeth.

In the year 1551, King Edward VI. gave the city a charter, by which he not only confirmed all its former privileges, but granted the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and citizens, several lands and tenements in Southwark, with the manor thereof, and its appurtenances; the assize of bread, wine, beer, and ale; a fair for three days; and the offices of Coroner, Escheator, and Clerk of the market, which are for ever vested in the Lord Mayor and his successors.

In the beginning of the year 1552, the celebrated company of the Anseatic merchants, called here the merchants of the Steelyard, were dissolved, they having engrossed almost the whole trade of the kingdom; for in the preceding year they exported 40,000 pieces of cloth, while all the English merchants together did not export 1100.

Upon the breaking out of the rebellion under Sir Thomas Wyat, occasioned by the report of Queen Mary’s intended marriage with Philip of Spain, the city was thrown into a violent commotion, and on his marching to Deptford, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, and citizens, had not only recourse to arms; but, it being term time, the Judges sat, and the Council pleaded in Westminster Hall in armour. In this general confusion the Queen came to Guildhall, where she was attended by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, and several of the city companies in their formalities, to whom she made a long and flattering speech, in which she professed, that she loved them as a mother loves her child, and that she would not engage in this marriage, if she thought it inconsistent with the happiness of her loving subjects: but that she desired to leave _some fruit of her body_ to be their governor.

This had such an effect, that they cut down the drawbridge, and shut the gates against Wyat, as he arrived in Southwark; he therefore marched up the river, crossed the Thames at Kingston, and proceeded through Westminster to Ludgate; but not being admitted by his friends in the city, as he expected, he generously surrendered himself, to prevent bloodshed, and was soon after beheaded on Tower hill.

The rest of this reign exhibited a dreadful scene of religious bigotry, by a most cruel persecution of the Protestants; for the principal instance she gave of her tender maternal love to the citizens, was, her causing many of them to be burnt in Smithfield, in order to put a stop to the reformation begun by her father, and continued by her brother: but Providence soon interposed; her reign was short; and the fires which were then kindled for the holy martyrs, who sealed their faith with their blood, were the last effort, under the sanction of law, made by religious tyranny in this kingdom to overthrow the reformation. Happy would it have been for the Protestants, if this cruel spirit had never prevailed amongst them; if, upon this change, universal benevolence had taken place, and every Briton would have allowed his neighbour the same liberty of enquiry, which he claimed for himself! but though both the national church and the dissenters from it, have disclaimed the pretended infallibility they so justly censured in the church of Rome, and have even constantly owned that they themselves are fallible, yet, contrary to the mild, the humane spirit of the Gospel, they have absurdly persecuted those who would not allow them to be infallible, and have presumed to differ from the unerring standard of their judgment!

We are now come to the period when our streets were no longer to be crouded with monks and friars of various orders, and in very different and uncouth habits, walking with their heads shaven and bare, with long beards, and a rosary hanging at their girdles; when our nobility and gentry were to be no longer affronted in the streets by Cardinals, attended by a great retinue of servants: by the lordly Knights of religious orders, or the wealthy Priors of convents: when our streets were no longer to be adorned with crosses and the images of the saints, the objects of much superstition; and when many of our largest, most conspicuous, and stately buildings, were no longer to consist of priories, friaries, nunneries, and guilds of religious fraternities.

Thus the appearance of the city, with respect to its buildings, ornaments, and inhabitants, received a considerable alteration from the abolition of popery in these kingdoms; and the reader will probably be pleased at seeing, at one view, a list of these religious houses, which will the better enable him to form an idea of the difference between London at that time and the present.

The priories then were, that of St. John of Jerusalem, near Clerkenwell.

That of the Holy Trinity of Christ church, or Creechurch, within Aldgate.

That of St. Bartholomew the Great, between Newgate street and West Smithfield.

The priory or abbey of Bermondsey, Southwark.

The priory of the Knights Templars, in Fleet street. And

The old Temple of Holborn.

The friaries were, that of the crutched or crossed friars, in St. Olave’s, Hart street.

That of the brethren _de sacca_, or _de pœnitentia Jesu Christi_, in the Old Jewry.

The Charter house monks, or the house of the Carthusians, between St. John’s street and Goswell street.

The New Abbey, by East Smithfield.

And that of Westminster Abbey.

The five following were convents of begging friars;

Black friars in Holborn, and

The black friars, Dominicans, or preaching friars, near Ludgate.

The gray friars, or Franciscans, near Newgate.

The Augustine friars, in Broad street.

And the white friars, or Carmelites, in Fleet street.

The convents of women were, that of Clerkenwell.

That of St. Helen, within Bishopsgate.

That of St. Clare, in the Minories.

And that of Holiwell by Shoreditch.

The guilds or fraternities were, the brotherhood of St. Fabian and St. Sebastian, in St. Botolph’s, Aldgate.

The fraternity and chapel of the Holy Trinity, in Leadenhall; and innumerable others, founded in most churches.

In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the far greatest part of this metropolis was contained within the walls, and even in these narrow limits were many gardens, which have been since converted into lanes, courts, and alleys. The buildings of London were, on the west, bounded by the monastery of St. Catharine’s; East Smithfield was open to Tower hill, and Rosemary lane was unbuilt. The Minories were built only on the east side, which fronted the city wall: cattle grazed in Goodman’s Fields, and Whitechapel extended but a little beyond the bars, and had no houses to the north; for Spitalfields, which of themselves would now compose a very large town, were then really fields, separated from each other by hedges and rows of trees. Houndsditch consisted only of a row of houses fronting the city wall, and the little yards and gardens behind them also opened into those fields. Bishopsgate street, Norton Falgate, and the street called Shoreditch, were then however built as far as the church, but there were only a few houses and gardens on each side, and no streets or lanes on either hand. Moorfields lay entirely open to the village of Hoxton; and Finsbury Fields, in which were several windmills, extended to the east side of Whitecross street. Chiswell street was not erected, and St. John’s street extended by the side of the priory of St. John of Jerusalem, to the monastery of Clerkenwell, and Cow Cross, which opened into the fields.

But on leaving the city walls, the buildings were much less extensive; for though the village of Holborn was now joined to London, the backs of the houses, particularly on the north side, opened into gardens and fields; part of Gray’s Inn lane were the only houses that extended beyond the main street; great part of High Holborn had no existence, and St. Giles’s was a village contiguous to no part of London.

If we turn to the Strand, we also find, that spacious street had gardens on each side, and to the north, fields behind those gardens, except a few houses where is now the west end of Drury lane. On the south side of the street, the gardens generally extended to the Thames; though some of the nobility had houses on the back of their gardens, next the water side. Covent Garden, so called from its belonging to the convent at Westminster, extended to St. Martin’s lane, and the field behind it reached to St. Giles’s. That lane had few edifices besides the church; for Covent Garden wall was on one side, and a wall which inclosed the Mews, on the other, and all the upper part was a lane between two hedges, which extended a little to the west of the village of St. Giles’s. Hedge lane was also a lane between two hedges; the extensive street now called the Hay Market, had a hedge on one side, and a few bushes on the other. Neither Pall Mall, St. James’s street, Piccadilly, or any of the streets or fine squares in that part of the town, were built; and Westminster was a small town on the south west, and south sides of St. James’s Park.

Lambeth was, at that time, a little village at a considerable distance from Southwark, and there were no buildings on the south bank of the Thames, till a row of houses began opposite to White Friars, and extended along the river, with gardens, fields, or groves behind them, till almost opposite the Steel Yard, where several streets began: the Borough extended a considerable distance from the bridge to the south, and the buildings to the east as far as the Tower.

This was the state of this great metropolis, so lately as in the reign of Queen Elizabeth; and how inconsiderable soever it must appear, when compared with its present dimensions, yet, by order of that Queen, a proclamation was published, by which all persons were forbid to build upon new foundations, and this order was twice repeated in the following reign.

On the 1st of January 1559, the Litany, as now used, was first read in all the churches of London; and about this time the populace not only destroyed all the statues and pictures of the saints in the churches, but most of their rich robes, altar cloths, books, and sepulchral banners.

In the year 1582, expence in dress having prevailed in the city, among people of all ranks, particularly among apprentices, which was then apprehended might prove of dangerous consequence to their masters, the following orders were published by the Lord Mayor and Common Council, which will be now thought very extraordinary, viz. That from thence forward no apprentice whatsoever should presume,

To wear any apparel but what he receives from his master.

To wear no hat within the city and liberty thereof, nor any thing instead of it but a woollen cap, without any silk about it.

To wear no ruffles, cuffs, loose collar, nor any thing more than a ruff at the collar, and that only of a yard and a half long.

To wear no doublets but what were made of canvas, sackcloth, fustian, English leather, or woollen cloth, without being enriched in any manner with gold, silver, or silk.

To wear no other coloured cloth or kersey, in hose or stockings, than white, blue, or russet.

To wear little breeches of the same stuffs as the doublets, without being stitched, laced, or bordered.

To wear a plain upper coat of cloth or leather, without pinking, stitching, guarding, lace, or silk about it.

To wear no other surtout than a cloth gown or cloak, lined or faced with cloth, cotton, or bays, with a fixed round collar, without stitching, guarding, lace, or silk.

To wear no pumps, slippers, nor shoes, but of English leather, without being pinked, edged, or stitched; nor girdles nor garters except of crewel, woollen, thread, or leather, without being garnished.

And to wear no sword, dagger, or other weapon, but a knife; nor neither a ring, nor a jewel, gold, silver, nor silk in any part of his apparel.

Rigorous as these laws were, and unsufferable as they would be now thought, yet any apprentice offending against any of the above particulars, was, for the first offence, to be punished at the discretion of his master; for the second he was to be publickly whipped at the hall of his company; and for the third, to serve six months longer than specified in his indentures. And every master conniving at his apprentice’s violating the above severe decree, was to forfeit 6s. 8d. to the poor of the parish in which he dwelt.

The plague, which had broke out many times in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, appeared afresh in 1603, on the accession of King James I. to the throne, and made such dreadful devastation, that, within the space of a year, it swept away 30,578 persons: but it having at length happily ceased, the King, Queen, and Prince Henry, made their public entry from the Tower on the 15th of March 1604, on which occasion the city was embellished with seven magnificent triumphal arches, numerous pageants, and other pompous decorations. The streets were adorned with the richest silks and carpets, and lined with the stands of the several corporations, with their flags and bands of music.

In the year 1608, King James I. granted the city a charter, by which he not only confirmed all the ancient rights, liberties, and immunities of the citizens, but added to the bounds and jurisdiction of the city the precincts of Duke’s Place, St. Bartholomew’s the Great and Less, Black and White Friars, and Cold Harbour. That King also granted the city two other charters.

In 1613, the water of the New River, brought from Ware by the great Sir Hugh Middleton, was let into the lower reservoir at Islington, with great ceremony: the next year Smithfield was first paved, and in 1615, the sides of the streets of this city being paved with pebble stones, which had hitherto rendered walking very troublesome, the inhabitants of the principal streets first began to pave their doors with broad free stone and flags.

In the year 1625, when King Charles I. ascended the throne, a most dreadful pestilence raged in London; the fatal effects of this distemper had been frequently felt; but it now carried off, within the space of a year, in the city and suburbs, 35,417 persons, besides those who died of other distempers, which, in the whole, amounted to 54,265, said to be one third of the inhabitants.

It is remarkable that in the year 1629, the goldsmiths shops in the south row of Cheapside, reached from the Old Change to Buckler’s Bury, exclusive of only four shops of other trades in all that space; but these four shops gave King Charles I. and his Privy Council such offence, that they sent an order to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, commanding them to turn out the tenants, and to oblige all the goldsmiths in the city, to settle in Cheapside and Lombard street. This arbitrary order however not being complied with, several others were sent, both by the Council and the court of Star-chamber, in which they were commanded to commit the tenants to prison, if they refused to give security to quit their houses by a certain day: and the court of Star-chamber even threatened the Alderman of the ward, that if he or his deputy did not immediately cause every such shop to be shut up, he or his deputy should be sent to prison, by warrant from the Board.

In 1633, King Charles I. being returned from his progress into Scotland, the gentlemen of the four Inns of Court entertained their Majesties with a pompous masque, which excelled every thing of the kind that had been seen in England, the expence amounting to 21,000l. the greatest sum probably ever expended in this kingdom in mere shew, except at a coronation; we shall therefore give it our readers, as a specimen of the taste of the times; the following account being the more curious, as these kinds of entertainments are now entirely laid aside.

The masquers, musicians, and all who were actors, met on Candlemas day in the afternoon, at Ely House in Holborn, where the Committee for the management of it sat all day, and in the evening they set forward, in the following order, down Chancery lane to Whitehall.

The march began with twenty footmen in scarlet liveries, trimmed with silver lace, each having his sword by his side, a baton in one hand, and a lighted torch in the other. These were the Marshal’s men, who cleared the streets, and were about the Marshal, waiting his commands. After them, and sometimes in the midst of them, came Mr. Darrel the Marshal, a very handsome gentleman, of Lincoln’s Inn, mounted upon one of the King’s best horses, and richest saddles. He was magnificently dressed, and, besides his Marshal’s men, had two lacquies who carried torches, and a page in livery carrying his cloak.

He was followed by an hundred of the handsomest young gentlemen of the Inns of Court, twenty-five chosen out of each house, all of them mounted on the best horses, and with the best furniture that the King’s stables, and those of all the noblemen in town could afford. These hundred gentlemen were so richly dressed, that scarce any thing but gold and silver lace could be seen, and every one of them had two lacquies, in his own livery, carrying torches by his horse’s side, and a page carrying his cloak. These gentlemen had about a dozen of the best trumpeters, in their own livery, sounding before them.

After this noble troop, came the antimasquers; preceded by the sound of keys and tongs, playing in concert. The first antimasque consisted of beggars and cripples, mounted on the poorest leanest jades that could be got out of the dust carts or elsewhere, a change, which from the nobleness of the music, the fineness of the horses, and the magnificent appearance of the gentlemen, afforded a very odd and surprizing contrast; the habits and every thing belonging to these cripples and beggars being ingeniously fitted by the direction of the commissioners, among whom were Mr. Attorney Noy, Sir John Finch, Sir Edward Herbert, and Mr. Selden.

After the beggars antimasque, came men on horseback, playing upon pipes, whistles, and instruments, imitating the notes of all sorts of birds, and playing in excellent concert.

These were followed by an antimasque of birds, consisting of an owl in an ivy bush, with many different sorts of birds, in a cluster gazing upon her; these were little boys put in covers in the shape of those birds, nicely fitted, sitting on small horses, with footmen going before them with torches in their hands, and others to look after them, to prevent their falling.

After this antimasque, came other musicians on horseback, playing upon bagpipes and other kinds of Northern music, to shew that the following projectors were Scots; and these, like the rest, had many footmen with torches waiting on them.

First in this antimasque rode a fellow upon a little horse with a great bit in his mouth, carrying upon his head a bit with a headstall and reins; a projector, who begged a patent, that none in the kingdom might ride their horses, without such bits as they should buy of him.

Then came another fellow with a capon upon his fist, and a bunch of carrots upon his head, representing a projector, who begged a patent of monopoly, as the first inventor of the art of feeding capons fat with carrots.

Several other projectors were personated in this antimasque, which pleased the spectators the more, because an information was thus covertly given to the King, of the unfitness and ridiculousness of these projects against the law. The Attorney Noy, who had most knowledge of them, had a great hand in this antimasque of the projectors.

After this and the rest of the antimasques, came six of the chief musicians on horseback upon foot-cloths, and in the habits of Heathen priests, footmen carrying torches by their sides. These were followed by a large open chariot, drawn by six fine horses with large plumes of feathers on their heads and cruppers. In this chariot were about a dozen persons, in the habits of Gods and Goddesses, many footmen walking an all sides with torches.

This chariot was followed by six more of the musicians on horseback, dressed and attended with torches like the former, proceeding before another large open chariot, drawn by six fine horses, with feathers, liveries, and torches, like the other. Within it were twelve musicians, as variously dressed as the others, to represent, like them, Pagan deities. These chariots were made for this occasion, and, preceding the grand masquers chariots, played upon excellent loud music all the way.

After this chariot came six more musicians, dressed and attended like the former, followed by the first chariot of the grand masquers, which was not so large as those that went before, but was curiously carved and painted. It was in the form of a Roman triumphal chariot, and richly painted with crimson and silver all over, not excepting the wheels. It was drawn by four horses all in a breast, covered to the heels with crimson and silver tissue, and with huge plumes of red and white feathers on their heads and cruppers. The coachman’s cap and feather, his long coat, his cushion, and his very whip, were of the same stuff and colour. In this chariot sat the four grand masquers of Gray’s Inn, who were handsome young gentlemen. Their habits, doublets, trunk hose and caps, were of the richest tissue, covered as thick with silver spangles as they could be placed; large white silk stockings up to their trunk hose, and very fine sprigs in their caps.

On each side of the chariot were four footmen, in liveries of the colour of the chariot, carrying huge flambeaus, which, with the torches, gave the greatest lustre to the paintings, spangles and habits.

After this chariot came six more musicians, in habits like the former, followed by the second chariot, which differed only from the other in its being painted silver and blue. The chariot and horses were covered with tissue of blue and silver, as the former was with silver and crimson.

In this second triumphal chariot were four grand masquers of the Middle Temple, in the same habits as the other masquers, and had the like attendance, torches and flambeaus, as the former.

After these followed the third and fourth triumphal chariots, with six musicians between each; both they and their horses dressed as before. The triumphal chariots were all of the same make, and alike carved and painted, only differing in the colours. In the third of these chariots rode the grand masquers of the Inner Temple, and in the fourth those of Lincoln’s Inn; each taking the place assigned them by lot.

In this order they proceeded to Whitehall, where the King and Queen, from a window of the Banquetting house, beheld this procession, and were so highly delighted with it, that the King sent to desire the Marshal to take a turn round the Tilt Yard, that he and his consort might have a second view of this pompous procession; which being accordingly performed, they entered the palace, and were conducted to several apartments prepared for their entertainment; where the Ladies of honour, and even the Queen herself, danced with the principal masquers.

With this fine cavalcade her Majesty was so delighted, that she desired to have it repeated, which being intimated to the Lord Mayor, he invited the King and Queen, with the above masquers, to an entertainment in Merchant Taylors Hall; and on this occasion they came in procession into the city, in exactly the same order, and with equal splendor and applause as at Whitehall. _Whitlock’s Memoirs._

During this unhappy reign, great disputes arose between the King and the city, in relation to ship-money, loans, &c. the city was deprived not only of the new plantation of Ulster in Ireland, which had been granted to the Lord Mayor and citizens by King James I. but fined 50,000l. Several of the Aldermen were imprisoned, for neglecting to send to court an account of such persons as were able to lend his Majesty money, and the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs prosecuted in the Star-chamber; the five members whom the King himself went with a guard to seize in the Parliament House, took refuge in the city, and were conducted back by water to the House of Commons, by a great number of citizens, while the Trained-Bands, as a farther guard, marched by land to Westminster. But even in the midst of these disputes, while the King was actually opposing the liberties of the citizens, he granted them several charters, by which he confirmed all their former privileges, and added some new ones. At length the Lord Mayor, contrary to an order of Parliament, endeavouring by proclamation to raise troops for his Majesty, he was committed to the Tower; and several articles of impeachment being brought against him, he was, by the sentence of the House of Peers, degraded from the Mayoralty, and rendered incapable of bearing any office, or receiving any farther honour.

There being some time after but little prospect of an agreement between the King and Parliament, and the greatest part of the city being averse to all thoughts of an accommodation, the Common Council passed an act for fortifying the city with out-works; agreed that all the ways leading to the city should be shut up, except those entering at Charing Cross, St. Giles’s in the Fields, St. John’s street, Shoreditch, and Whitechapel, and that the exterior ends of those streets should be fortified with breastworks and turnpikes, musket proof; that the several courts of guards, and rails at the extreme parts of the liberty of the city, should be fortified with turnpikes, musket proof; that all the sheds and buildings contiguous to the outside of London Wall should be taken down; and that the city wall with its bulwarks should be not only repaired and mounted with artillery, but that several new works should be added to it, at the places most exposed.

This act of Common Council being soon after confirmed by an order of Parliament, the following forts were raised, 1. A bulwark and a half, at the north end of Gravel lane. 2. A hornwork, near the windmill in Whitechapel road. 3. A redoubt with two flanks, near Brick lane. 4. A redoubt with four flanks, in Hackney road, Shoreditch. 5. A redoubt with four flanks, in Kingsland road. 6. A battery and breast-work, at Mountmill. 7. A battery and breast-work, at the end of St. John’s street. 8. A small redoubt, near Islington pound. 9. A large fort with four half bulwarks, near New River head. 10. A battery and breast-work, on the hill, east of the place afterwards called Black Mary’s Hole. 11. Two batteries and a breast-work, at Southampton, now Bedford-house. 12. A redoubt with two flanks, near St. Giles’s pound. 13. A small fort, at the east end of Tyburn road. 14. A large fort with four half bulwarks, across the road where Wardour street is now built. 15. A small bulwark, at the place now called Oliver’s Mount. 16. A large fort with four bulwarks, at Hyde Park Corner. 17. A small redoubt and battery on Constitution Hill. 18. A court of guard at Chelsea turnpike. 19. A battery and breast-work, in Tothill Fields. 20. A quadrant fort with four half bulwarks, at Vauxhall. 21. A fort with four half bulwarks, at the Dog and Duck in St. George’s Fields. 22. A large fort with four bulwarks, near the end of Blackman street. 23. A redoubt with four flanks, near the Lock Hospital.

These forts were all joined by a line of communication, formed by a rampart of earth, which on all sides surrounded the cities of London and Westminster, and the borough of Southwark, This was done at the expence of the city, and the whole was immediately executed with the greatest alacrity.

After this, the city entered heartily into the measures of the Parliament, though the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council frequently sollicited that body to settle the peace of the kingdom: but soon after the King’s death, an order being sent to the Lord Mayor and Sheriff, to proclaim the abolition of monarchy, he refused to comply, upon which he was brought to the bar of the House of Commons, committed prisoner to the Tower for two months, and another Mayor chosen in his room.

At the inauguration of Cromwell in 1657, as Lord Protector, the Lord Mayor carried the city sword before him, accompanied by the Earl of Warwick, who carried the sword of state, and during the ceremony stood on the right side of Cromwell’s chair, while the Lord Mayor stood on the left.

But after the death of Cromwell, the Common Council opposing the Committee of Safety, declaring for a free Parliament, and refusing to pay or advance money to the Parliament, General Monk was ordered to march with his army into the city, and the streets became planted with soldiers; when several of the Aldermen and Common Council were taken into custody, the whole body disqualified, and a new Common Council ordered to be chosen; after which the city gates were broke and cut to pieces, the portcullises taken down and destroyed, and the posts and chains taken down.

After this, the city heartily and zealously joined with General Monk, in bringing about the restoration. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen, on the 29th of May 1660, went out to meet Charles II. in St. George’s Fields, where the city had erected a magnificent pavilion, provided with a sumptuous collation, of which that Prince having participated, was conducted through the city by a very noble cavalcade, the Lord Mayor carrying the sword bare-headed before the King, accompanied by the Duke of Buckingham and General Monk, who were also bare. Upon this occasion the city was adorned with the richest silks and tapestries, and the streets lined with the city corporations and Trained Bands, while the conduits flowed with wine, and the windows, balconies, and scaffolds were crouded with an infinite number of spectators.

In the year 1663, King Charles II. granted the city a confirmation of all their former charters, privileges, liberties, rights and customs; and the next year the city, in return, advanced several considerable sums for his Majesty, to enable him to carry on a war with the Dutch, for which the citizens received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament.

About the beginning of May 1665, one of the most terrible plagues that ever was inflicted on this, or perhaps any other kingdom, broke out in this city: and as this was happily the last visitation of this kind, it may be proper to give a short account of its rise and progress.

The week wherein this most dreadful distemper was first discovered, it carried off nine persons, whereby the citizens were so greatly alarmed, that an universal dread diffused itself amongst people of all ranks: but the week after, the number, according to the bill of mortality, being reduced to three, the fears of the citizens were greatly alleviated. The next week, however, the number increasing to fourteen, and progressively to forty-three, the people were struck with consternation, and many of them had thoughts of leaving the city: but in the month of June, the number having gradually increased to 470 a week, the nobility, gentry, and principal citizens fled for safety, all being instantly in an amazing hurry, and the city emptying itself into the country, the streets and roads were excessively crouded with carriages and passengers. In July the bill increasing to 2010, all houses were shut up, the streets deserted, and scarce any thing to be seen therein but grass growing, innumerable fires made to purify the air, coffins, pest-carts, red crosses upon doors, with the inscription of _Lord, have mercy upon us!_ and poor women in tears, with dismal aspects, and woeful lamentations, carrying their infants to the grave! and scarce any other sounds to be heard than those incessantly repeated from the windows, _Pray for us!_ and the dismal call of, _Bring out your dead!_ with the groans of the dying, and the melancholy tolling of bells for bodies ready for the grave! But what greatly added to this distressful scene, was, the spectator’s own reflections, that he himself should perhaps soon make one among the dismal objects, whose groans resounded in his ears.

Under these deplorable circumstances, the citizens, when in the greatest want of spiritual guides, were forsaken by their parochial Ministers, when those who had been just before ejected from the pulpits, considering their indispensible duty in this dreadful visitation, were induced, though contrary to law, to supply their place; upon which the people, laying aside the distinction of churchmen and dissenters, joyfully resorted to church, where the concourse was so exceeding great, that these non-conformist Ministers were frequently obliged to clamber over the pews to get to the pulpit; and if ever preaching had a better effect than ordinary, it was at this time, when the people listened with the utmost eagerness, and attended as if their salvation depended upon every word they heard.

In the month of September Death rode triumphant, for the burials then amounted in one week to 6988; but the week after the bill falling to 6544, gave some glimmering hopes that this dreadful distemper was past its crisis: however, the great increase the week following to 7165, re-immerged the survivors into an abyss of horror and despair; for now they were struck with the dreadful apprehensions, that in a few days the living would not be sufficient to bury the dead. They were, however, happily mistaken; for after this, the contagion gradually decreased, till it pleased the Almighty to restore this desolate city to its pristine state of health; after the direful ravages of this distemper had swept off 68,596 persons, which, together with those who died of other diseases, made the bill of mortality for this year amount to 97,306. _Echard’s Hist._ _Vincent’s God’s terrible voice._

As to the natural causes of this pestilence, Physicians differ greatly; however, Dr. Baynard observes, that during the havock made by it, there was a general calmness and serenity of weather, without the least wind or rain; that through the great scarcity of nitre in the air, the fires in the streets were with great difficulty made to burn; and by its extreme rarefaction, which was doubtless increased by these fires, the birds panted for breath, and those of the larger sort were observed to fly more heavily than usual.

The above calamity was scarcely ceased, and those who had fled returned to their houses, when on Sunday the 2d of September 1666, a dreadful fire broke out at one in the morning, in the house of Mr. Farryner, a baker, in Pudding lane; a time when the eyes and senses of all were locked in sleep. The house was a wooden building pitched on the outside, as were all the rest in the lane, which was exceeding narrow, and by the jutting over of the several stories, the buildings on each side almost met at the top; and in this manner were built most of the houses in this metropolis. The house in which the fire began, containing much brush and faggot wood, the fire soon got ahead, and furiously seized on the neighbouring houses on all sides, running four ways at once; it presently set New Fish street all in a flame; while another branch raging down Pudding lane, laid hold on Thames street, the repository of all combustibles, as hemp, flax, rosin, oil, butter, pitch, tar, brimstone, cordage, hops, sugar, brandy, wood, and coals; where dividing itself, it ran both eastward and westward with inexpressible fury, into the adjacent lanes, consuming all before it; and its two main branches meeting at London bridge, soon reduced all the buildings upon it to ashes, together with the water engines under it; by which means the people were deprived of the assistance of that element; for the New River water was not then laid into those parts.

The pulling down houses every way, at some distance, was first proposed; and this was the only method that could have been of any service in stopping the progress of the flames; for had there been water, the fire was too fierce to be mastered by engines, or to suffer any body to work near it; but this was objected to, and while the affair was debated, the flames spread still farther.

Unhappily they were increased by a violent easterly wind; and that day and the following night spread up Gracechurch street, and downwards from Cannon street to the water side, as far as the Three Cranes.